The concept of backing up data file information stored on a computer is well known. Typically, computers within an organization are split into two categories, namely servers and personal workstations. Conventionally, an organization performs nightly tape backups of all of the data files stored on their servers. Employees who work on workstations that are networked to a central server using local area networks are instructed to keep all of their important data files on their server so that the important data files can be backed up by the nightly process. Even though employees are instructed to keep important data files on their server, it is also quite common for employees to keep important data files on their workstation hard drives. Employees who typically use laptop computers to work on data files when they are away from the office (i.e. not connected through the local area network) tend not to copy active data file to their server.
Though backup systems are available to backup data files on workstations, logistics and manual processes generally prevent these backups from being conducted on a regular basis. Typically, users are concerned about response time while working on documents and organization networks are not configured for backups while resources are being consumed by users. Backup solutions have been developed as alternatives to the conventional tape backup process. These solutions generally involve a scheduled backup that begins at a predetermined point in time. At this point a large amount of data is assembled and transported across a local area network to a server for storage. Since this solution requires the transfer of a large amount of data, they do not function well over a slow or intermittent Internet connection or during peak network operation.
Also, in the case of scheduled backups, a system administrator typically executes the backup application software and configures the software to run the backup job at a pre-determined time (e.g. every night at midnight) usually selected to ensure that the data to be backed up is not being utilized by anyone. The backup software sits idle until the pre-determined time and then initiates the backup. If there are impediments to completion of the backup (e.g. communications errors, connectivity problems, un-powered devices, hardware failures, etc.) then the backup will not be completed. The incomplete backup will be discovered by the administrator the next morning and accordingly, data remains unprotected until at least the following evening when the backup software is re-executed.